Apocalypse Tank (RA3)
The Apocalypse tank is the Soviet Union's ultra-heavy battle tank, first seen during the Third World War. Background The biggest, most powerful ground vehicle ever constructed, the Apocalypse certainly lives up to its nickname. Each of its two main guns is more powerful than the main cannon of a lesser tank, a second set of cutting treads installed into its hull allows it to simply roll over lesser vehicles, and its magnetic harpoon secondary weapon - one of the Union's first practical magnetic weapons - can draw fast-moving vehicles straight into its "meat grinder" chain-treads, which can carve through metal much like their namesake. However, the Apocalypse tank is not without its flaws, such as a horrendous top speed, a complete lack of anti-air and anti-infantry weapons, as well as an exorbitant price. Also, the schematics for manufacturing these vehicles are authorized only by battle lab technicians required to study the tank's performance characteristics. Because of this tank's notoriety, the identities of apocalypse tank crews are kept secret by the Soviet Union. It is difficult to imagine what sort of person would be fit to operate such a weapon, let alone what the experience of this would do to that person. History With a nickname like "apocalypse", the Soviet Union's ultra-heavy battle tank has certain expectations to live up to. And, unfortunately for the Union's enemies, it does. This monstrosity of a machine, while clearly slower and less maneuverable than the typical modern tank, overcompensates for any of its limitations with two extremely powerful main guns, each one markedly stronger than the main gun on a lesser tank. Even amid all the calamities of war, the choking black smoke and piercing shriek of grinding metal emanating from an apocalypse tank is the stuff of nightmares for combat veterans--including Soviets, who seem to fear the apocalypse tank as much as anyone. On the whole, the Soviet Union is extremely proud of the apocalypse, which is widely featured in military multimedia propaganda, military recruitment mailings, motivational posters found in businesses and classrooms, and more. While a cadre of schoolmasters denounced the naming of the vehicle as an act of fear-mongering, the Soviet government quickly quelled these concerns by insisting that the name was intended to give hope to the people--here is a tank that can withstand anything, they proudly said. The schoolmasters held fast, claiming that the name betrayed evidence of the Union's dissolution into an agenda of mutually-assured destruction with the Allies. They remain incarcerated. The apocalypse tank even became popularized in a morning cartoon show and toy line ("They Are Not Allies"), at which point it truly became an icon not in the Soviet Union's military arsenal, and all over the world. Such mainstream success is impossible to anticipate completely. However, the corporation responsible for the apocalypse tank, Arkhangelsk Tank Plant (ATP), boldly promised the Soviet regime that the apocalypse would revolutionize modern vehicle warfare by trivializing other, lesser tanks. This proved to be quite true. While the apocalypse tank is very expensive to produce for all its Soviet excesses, it is virtually unstoppable on the ground. The apocalypse is such a massive vehicle that ATP engineers installed a second set of cutting treads into its massive hull, enabling it to simply roll over just about anything that survives long enough to get in its way. To further offset the tank's relatively slow speed is a now-standard magnetic harpoon secondary weapon, one of the first practical military tools based on the Union's continuing research into magnetism. Essentially this works like an industrial-strength grapple that can be used, for example, to tow fast-moving enemy vehicles in closer for the kill--straight into its "meat grinder" chain-treads, which can carve through metal much like their namesake. For all the fervor, fear, and excitement caused by the apocalypse tank, it is to be expected that the design would draw some disdain. Outspoken critics and foreign protesters of Arkhangelsk's most famous work (with respect to the far more common hammer tank) point to its horrendous top speed, as well as its complete lack of anti-aircraft defenses, or even a simple anti-infantry machine gun post, as evidence of sheer hubris on the part of the apocalypse tank's manufacturers. ATP, in turn, openly brushed aside these claims as "idiocy", announcing simultaneously that the apocalypse tank would go into mass production that same year. At any rate, because of this tank's notoriety, the identities of apocalypse tank crews are kept secret by the Soviet Union. It is difficult to imagine what sort of person would be fit to operate such a weapon, let alone what the experience of this would do to that person. Abilities Notes From the Field Battlefield reconnaissance has revealed at least these facts about the Apocalypse Tank: * Unstoppable -- The apocalypse tank can simply roll over anything that survives its main guns. Main battle tanks, let alone smaller vehicles, can easily be crushed under the apocalypse tank's treads. * The sinister M-harpoon -- The apocalypse can effectively spear and reel in other vehicles using the M-harpoon, or even drag itself toward structures. However, the magnet requires an extreme amount of energy, so the tank's main guns are rendered inoperable while the M-harpoon is active. * Pure anti-armor -- While the apocalypse tank has nothing to fear from lesser vehicles, its crew's limited visibility combined with its armor-piercing ammunition means it is less effective against very small targets, namely infantry. Commanders also admit that the apocalypse requires anti-air support. * Worth its weight in ore -- The apocalypse tank and its two main guns and 16-layer armor don't come cheap. On top of that, the schematics for manufacturing these vehicles in the field are authorized only by battle lab technicians required to study the tank's performance characteristics. Tactics and Counters The latest Apocalypse Tank does not have a great defense against most aircraft and infantry - the worst of which is that the Tank can be easily bribed to join the Allies for a fee of $1000. Anti-armor and anti-heavy units like Tankbusters, Javelin Soldiers, Hydrofoil's Weapon Jammers, Steel Ronin, Wave-force artilleries, Vindicators, Harbinger Gunships, Giga Fortresses, Yuriko, Spectrum Towers, and Future Tank X-1s were additional reasons why Apocalypse Tanks require support. If they are under attack from naval units, the Apocalypse Tanks can't do much other than to run away inland- where they can't be shot at. Their M-Harpoons are effective only on ground vehicles and structures. However, for any enemy ships that are closer to the shoreline, the Apocalypse tank can utilize its special ability because non-amphibious units in the water which are reeled in by the M-Harpoons are dragged towards the shore and destroyed. Assessment Pros * Highly-effective Magnetic Beam. Using it, at least 2 Future Tanks can be destroyed by a single Apocalypse Tank. * Can crush anything smaller than itself: including medium vehicles and heavy infantry * Very heavy armor * Self-repairing * Destructive twin cannons * Costs only 1500 if Mass Production upgrade is authorized * Can be airlifted by a Twinblade * Can beat all of its counterparts from the other factions in a 1-on-1 fight * Cannons effective against infantry at heroic veterancy * Can destroy defenses and structure quickly with Magnetic Harpoons. Cons * Very slow * Expensive (Cost 2000) and has a long build-time * Vulnerable against commandos and large groups of anti-armor units * Vulnerable against artillery units * Defenseless against aircraft * Requires a Battle Lab to be built * Can be permanently bribed by Allied Spies for a fee of $1000 * Cannons ineffective against infantry unless it reaches the Heroic Veterancy level * Loses one-on-one to Future Tank if it uses Riot Beam. Quotes Created * The Apocalypse has begun! * Armageddon is here! Select * We wait! * Soviet Power Supreme! * I have the final say... * The Instrument of DOOM... * It is day of judgement! * Where are they? * Vengeance is near... Moving * We cannot be stopped! * It is time! * They will run in fear! * Make a path... * They will pay! * Excellent! * Be patient... * We know they are here... Attacking with Cannon * Crush them! * Now! * Amusing! * Pathetic! * Kill it! * Leave nothing! * Eradicate them! * With pleasure! Attacking with Magnetic Harpoon * A fine choice... * An appetizer... * This one looks good! * GET OVER HERE! * YOU CANNOT ESCAPE! * Your turn! Move to Attack * WE WILL BURY THEM! * Annihilating! * The day has come! * At last! * So it begins! * *Maniacal Sadistic Laughter* In combat * Such Fools! * The end is at hand! * It's soon shall be over! * This'' will be their last moments!'' * Their end draws near! * We shall end this! * It will soon be a wasteland! * There is no mercy! Retreating * Armageddon will wait! * Soviet Power must be preserved!! * Let them be! Under fire * The fools cannot hinder me! * The Apocalypse cannot be stopped! * I will not be interrupted! * They have not accepted their fate! Trivia * Conceptually, the M-Harpoon is similar to Yuri's Magnetrons; the only difference between the two is that the Apocalypse uses it to drag vehicles underneath its grinders, while the Magnetron lifts the victim unit in the air and pulls it towards the Magnetron. * Most of the Apocalypse tank's lines are direct quotes from Red Alert 2's Apocalypse tank as well as the Rhino tank. * If the Apocalypse Tank magnetizes any unit (enemy, ally or player units), by the time the Apocalypse starts grinding, use reverse move or simply move the Apocalypse forward but doing this will only crush the target vehicle. If done right, the target will explode instantly. Does not work on ships and tier 3 units. * The Apocalypse's M-Harpoon can magnetize lower-leveled time bombs. * The Apocalypse's M-Harpoon can instantly kill a frozen unit. There will be no animation in which the tank pulls a unit, the unit simply explodes when the magnetic beam hits it. * One of the Apocalypse's quotes when using the M-Harpoon, "Get over here!", is a reference to the iconic phrase spoken by Mortal Kombat character Scorpion when using his spear attack. Gallery 3 Apocalypse Tanks .png RA3 Apocalypse Tank Concept Art.jpg RA3_ApocalypseTank_ConceptArt.jpg RA3_ApocTank2 (1).jpg|Old Apocalypse Tank RA3_Apocalypse_Tank.png RA3_Beta_Apocalypse_Tank.png|Old Apocalypse Tank Category:Command & Conquer Category:Tank Category:The Soviet Union Category:Heavy Tank